Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) - Naval Cruise Book

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OppilMlf l ' (li;i- l . lhl ( luil( , yo IS nice- hut I wunnd a lil.l ■. iu Above- IC2 John Kiihnumil. IC. lSW i loiilon MtilliniinJ i: VSMSWr M( lun Knii liiuip it lip with the friendly fulks t Hinis; Ktini;. Above Right- VitlnniccislitrthfRtinuhl XtcPonalJ house of Hont; Kont; pose with a ceramic RoiuiUI. the iinofflciiil fast food nuiscot of this cniisehook. Right- Colorful curs from a skylift dot a Honii Kimg mountainside facing tin- South China Sea. Below Right- The expansive skyline ) Hont; Kong was an electrical kaleidoscope, particularly during the holiday season lielow- ENS Kristin Kersh. IJJG Roh l.ippy, LT Danny Shiau and l.T Jason Testa hitch a ride im the Star Fcrr lilistani cousin of Harpers lcri f. H.i

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8 AncluMcd. Hong Kimg Harbor. (Jii the hori on off the ship ' s stem, the k)ni:est suspension bridge in the world. Tsing Ma Bridge. loomed over the bay. Off to port the sky scrapers huddled together along the shore line to keep from drifting off into the bay. Just off the starboard side a liberty boat eagerly aw aited its passengers to start its 30 minute ride into Fenwick Pier, where the City of Life lay ready to embrace its newest visitors. The Sailors and Marines of the amphibious dock landing ship, USS HARPHRS FHRR ' (LSD 49). called upon the city of Hong Kong, Peoples Republic of China, from December 28, 1998 -January 2. 1999 Passengers arrived by liberty boat to the Fleet Arcade on Fenwick Pier. The Arcade offered arious services to the servicemember. from regulated shops to a phone center, and inside the building Sailors and Marines could find the t)lunteers of the Servicemen ' s Guides Association (SGA). The Association is in its 46 year assisting the needs of servicemembers. The solunteers offered the visitors advice on places to shop and sights to see, but also offered lours to the visitors. A trip to a Temple or visiting the New Territories were just two of the many exploits they offered to the crew. Pctl Olticer Second Class James Nadeaii. an Hlectronics Technician from Schenectady. New York, ventured out on the Dim Sum and Temple Tour and returned with memories he will not soon forget. The tour was a great way to see Hong Kong with the SGA ()lunleers as our guides, Nadeau said. They uere able to answer all our questions about u hat we were seeing at ihc temple and better yet what we were eating at the Dim Sum. From Fenwick pier the visitors were afforded an unlimited amount of things to do and see in Hong Kong. Some opted to take the Star Ferry over to Kowloon for some shopping on Nathan Road. Others rode over to Stanley Market for a little bargain hunting. Many went to the top of Victoria ' s Peak to get unsurpassed views o ' Hong Kong and Kowloon. For others, taking the time to olunteer with the Ronald McDonald House was more the way to spend a day in Hong Kong. When the ship asked for volunteers to help clean up and organize the Ronald McDonald House, the crew turned out to hel p the project with 29 Sailors and Marines Nolunteering their liberty time. The project ccuMdinator for the ship. Petty Officer First Class Reginald Johnson. Dental Technician, feels the support and services they lent to the Ronald McDonald House will be felt for some time to come. We really helped them out with a few jobs they just didn ' t have the people to accomplish. Johnson said. We were able to help out the only Ronald McDonald House ill .Asia aiul that is something everyone who helped out can be proud o ' . No matter w here the crew went. lhe all have taken awa memories ' Hong Kong that will last a lifetime. They will always be able to tell a friend or relative that they shopped at Stanley Market, or show a friend a picture of themselves sianiling beside the world ' s largest Buddha. Of course, this was simpl to first stop to an unforgettable deployment.

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KliiPLFNISIIMliINT You sail towards a particular specie on a chart, five hundred miles t ' roni the coast ol nowhere. Suddenly, in the distance. yt)u spy what appears it) be a giant, floating upside down dead bug. Ahoy! the replenishment ship is here. Let the festivities begin! Underway refueling in olves the entire ship, from the .Signalman closing up the Romet) Hag to the Engineman taking soundings in fuel tanks. It means barrels of fun for the MPA, five million khakis on the bridge and the possibility of someone getting shot by a flying orange ball (the messenger). Yet. this is also one of the most dangerous evolutions that two (and sometimes three) ships can do. Underway refueling is an art. and the U.S. Navy has it down pat ■.A.S Knsiin Kcrsh and ENS Famcla Phillips cifiiec: There ' s uotluuii hcncr ilian the wind in our hair.ihe melodic song of the seagull, heef porcupines for lunch and a W pallet stores onload! l ' in( ) vv. HMCl SW ) Harry Hicks brings in the mechanical hull purchased hy MWH. Unfortunately, die plan to put It on the mess decks as a liahliahllltx item failed, leaving the crew without iinv type of dangerous rodeo cquipnieiii for the entire l ' . ( ' . ' I Yes. we ' re joking.) SN Caialina Durun and Pi 2l.SWi I ' alrick Moore do that voodoo that lhe do as ship ' s phone talkers. :ii 1 SS MAHI ' l RS II RRV (I.SIJ.Jm FUN FACT: Harpers Ferry can guzzle diesel fuel upwards of 2000 gallons per minute.